Health Texas Newborns Potentially Exposed to TB Awaiting Test Results

Health officials began screening more than 700 infants who may potentially have been exposed to tuberculosis at an El Paso hospital over the past year by an employee recently diagnosed with the illness, officials said today.

Jessica Martinez, whose son Sebastian was born at Providence Memorial Hospital in October 2013, arrived at the clinic early this morning. She told ABC News that she received a letter last week from the El Paso Department of Health asking the family to bring their son in for testing. But she said she had already made an appointment based on information she'd read on Facebook.

"I looked into it myself and found out he was on the list even before I got the official letter," she said.


Infants born between September 2013 and Aug. 25 of this year when the unnamed female nurse was put on leave after testing positive for tuberculosis were directed to undergo the screenings. They are being offered for free at a clinic set up at the El Paso Department of Health.

TB infection is spread through coughs and sneezes of an infected individual, health officials said. The disease can lay dormant for years before becoming active.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/700-babies-texas-tested-tb-exposure/story?id=25679644

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tb-tuberculosis-tests-positive-for-5-babies-exposed-at-texas-hospital/